WASHINGTON — The Senate is moving forward on a compromise bill to help veterans avoid long waits to see a doctor and make it easier to fire administrators who falsify records to cover up lengthy wait times.
Hopes for a vote as soon as Thursday have dimmed, but senators say they will press ahead on a measure to address an uproar over veterans’ health care following allegations that veterans have died while waiting to see a VA doctor.
Negotiations on the bill are to resume Thursday as the Obama administration’s new veterans affairs chief visits the Phoenix hospital at the center of allegations that veterans died while awaiting VA appointments.
Sens. Bernie Sanders and John McCain are leading negotiations on the bill. They held two closed-door meetings Wednesday to iron out details.